Gallows for sport gymnastics with rigid ring suspension

ABSTRACT

Gallows for rings, intended to be used in sport gymnastics, wherein the cross beam is more flexible than conventionally known models. The cross beam is hinged to the uprights of the gallows with a silentblock or rubber piece. The rings of the gallows are connected to the cross beam using rigid rods made of a composite material or other rigid material, with the rigid rods being connected at their tops by a self-locking trunnion provided with a universal joint and fixed to the rings by a short link of textile material. Also, the bottom of the uprights of the gallows are connected by a cable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ring gallows adapted for gymnastic competition and used currently havefunctional dimensions that are determined by the InternationalFederation of Gymnastics.

These functional dimensions are related to height, from the ground tothe top of the gallows, to the length of the cable system and strapsconnecting the rings to the cross beam at the top of the gallows bymeans of thrust ball bearings enabling permanent axial rotation of thecables on which the rings are hooked, and adapted to provide totalliberty to the gymnast as he moves about the ring.

Currently known gallows have uprights that allow the totality of thegallows to flex during a particularly energetic exercise.

The major disadvantage of this gymnastic apparatus, both by reason ofits conception and in view of the evolution of gymnastics, is itsrigidity, which results in trauma at the level of the spinal column (atthe level of the vertebrae) and at the level of the shoulders, andtransmits all the vibrations from the uprights of the gallows and fromthe cable system to the body of the gymnast.

Additionally, ring exercises are limited by the fact that the gymnastsnever let go of the rings, except when they exit.

This invention aims to overcome these disadvantages and enablesexercises with this gymnastic apparatus to evolve, insofar as letting goand recapturing the rings before exiting is concerned.

The invention is characterized by four main points, namely:

1. The cross beam at the top is made of the same material, but is muchlonger, so that it alone flexes and provides flexibility, or it can bemade of another material, either composite material, or hardened steel,etc.

2. The hinging of the top beam with the uprights mounted on asilentblock results not only in the provision of ampler flexibility, butalso eliminates the residual vibrations of the uprights and themaintenance cables.

3. The cables connecting the top cross beam to the rings are replaced bya rigid junction made of fiberglass or another material, enabling acontrolled swing during release, thus avoiding the latter from movingwildly in every direction.

4. The effect of the thrust ball bearings are voided when the gymnastreleases the rings. The rings will stop in the exact rotational plane inwhich they were located at the moment of release, and this enables themto be recaptured easily.

Points 1 and 2 result in a considerable reduction of trauma.

Points 3 and 4 are adapted to help the exercises evolve (letting go ofthe rings for a dangerous exercise, with the possibility of recapturingthem later).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of this invention will appear moreclearly from the non-limiting description below in reference to theattached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a gallows assembly according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a junction of one end of the cross beam with the topend of the upright according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of male cap of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates the self-locking trunnion according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a flexible-ring bearing bar system according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a synoptic drawing of the adjustment system of theflexible-ring bearing bar system of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 illustrates a sectional view along A--A of the flexible-ringbearing bar system of FIG. 5.

FIG. 1 shows the gallows assembly of a trapezoidal shape constituted by:

cross beam 1, uprights 2, maintenance cable system 3, fiberglass rods 4,thrust bearings 5, rings 6, textile link 7 between the rings and thefiberglass, cable 8 for maintaining the distance between the uprights.

FIG. 2 represents the junction of one end of the cross beam 1 with thetop end of upright 2 constituted by a male cap 9 in which a silentblock10 is housed (or an element made of hard rubber) slightly exceeding thetwo sides of its housing 9.

Element 11 is a metallic spacer that is used to avoid wear and tear ofthe rubber.

The female cap 12 will be affixed to male cap 9 by means of a bolt, notrepresented in the drawings, passing through hole 13 of the female capandspacer 11 of the male cap.

The internal sides of the female cap 12 will be in contact with therubber 10 that exceeds beyond male cap 9 and as such, will have nometallic contact with male cap 9. This will stop the transmission ofvibrations from cables 3 and from upright 2 to cross beam 1.

FIG. 3 represents a side view of the male cap 9 showing the exceeding ofrubber 10.

FIG. 4 shows the self-locking trunnion 5 for suspension of the rings.

The threaded rod 14 is fixed by nuts 15 to cross beam 1.

A washer 16 is welded in the lower portion of the threaded rod 14.

Nut and counter nut 17 are used to adjust the system.

Washer 18 is a friction washer.

Brake washer 19 is a rubber washer or it can be made of any otheranti-skidmaterial.

Portion 20 is the body of the system.

Portion 21 is a thrust ball bearing or rollers.

Spring 22 is partially compressed, without load, on the self-lockingtrunnion.

Elements 23, 24, 25, and 26 constitute the omni-directional portion(universal joint) connecting body 20 to fiberglass rod 4, enabling thelatter and the ring to achieve an omni-directional swing.

Axes 23 and 26 are journal pivots of the universal joint represented byelements 24 and 25.

When the self-locking trunnion is not loaded (no suspended gymnast),spring22 acts by separating washer 16 from thrust ball bearing 21,resulting in the contact of washer 18 with rubber washer 19, and the topof body 20 braking and neutralizing the effect of the thrust ballbearing 21. Thus, the trunnion is in a blocked, unloaded position.

When the trunnion is loaded (gymnast suspended from the rings), the loadbeing transmitted to body 20 by means of the fiberglass rod 4 and theuniversal joint, body 20 rests on abutment 21, completely crushingspring 22 that comes into abutment on element 16, thereby renderingwasher 19 inactive and enabling the abutment to take full effect, andthe trunnion finds itself in free rotation. When loaded, the trunnion isunblocked.

The flexibility of the ring-bearing bar can be also be renderedadjustable,and this enables the same gallows to be used both fortraining exercises (maximum flexibility) and for competitive events(eliminated flexibility).

FIG. 5 shows the upper portion of the gallows arranged in this manner.Bar 30, very rigid, is a rail affixed in uprights 2 of the gallows.

Rollers 31 made of rubber, or any other shock-absorbing material, aremounted in free wheel on carriages 32, that are themselves slidableinsiderail 30 and enable the flexional adjustment of beam 1, which willbe translated into more or less flexibility for the gymnast.

One need only displace rollers 31 with respect to the fixing point ofthe fiberglass rods to increase or decrease flexibility.

When rollers 31 are against uprights 2, bar 1 flexes to a maximum, thusproviding maximum flexibility. Inversely, when rollers 31 are againstthe fixing points of the fiberglass rods, all flexion is eliminated, andthus the gallows can be used in competitive events, in accordance withthe current norms of the International Federation of Gymnastics.

Pulley 33, at the end of rail 30 is positioned horizontally and receivesa cable 34 made of steel or a nautical-rope type textile, or "kevlar".

The two pulleys 35 and 35' of FIG. 6 that are located at the other endand positioned vertically with respect to the rail, also receive cable34.

FIG. 6 shows a synoptic drawing of the adjustment system (of a curtainrod type).

Pulley 36 is in a lowered position, within hand's reach, on one ofuprights

Carriages 32 are fixed on either side of the hook of cable 34.

Cable 34 being positioned in a closed circuit on pulleys 33, 35, 35' and36, when it is pulled either in one direction or another, carriages 32areeither distanced or come closer together. This enables a simple andquick adjustment in accordance with the desired flexibility. Agraduating strip 41 is placed on upright 2. Grips 42 render themanipulation of adjustment more practical.

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view along 7--7 of the top of the gallows.

Polyurethane foam 37 (or any other material) are used to eliminatebacklashand noise.

Screw 38 blocks cable 34 on one side. On the other side, one can see thecable return.

Cap 39 is the roller, affixed to the carriage by means of bolts 40, soas to enable assembly in the rail.

What is claimed is:
 1. Gallows for sport gymnastics having a rigid ringsuspension which is adapted for training exercises and competitiveevents, comprising:a relatively flexible cross beam; a plurality ofuprights; elastic blocks journally connecting said cross beam to saidplurality of uprights; at least one ring; at least one rigid rod havinga top and a bottom; at least one self-locking trunnion including auniversal joint, said universal joint being connected to the top of saidrigid rod; and at least one attaching member connecting said at leastone ring to the bottom of said at least one rigid rod;wherein said atleast one self-locking trunnion is constructed and arranged to preventturning of said at least one self-locking trunnion when a load is notsuspended on said at least one ring, and to permit turning of said atleast one self-locking trunnion when a load is suspended on said atleast one ring.
 2. The gallows according to claim 1, wherein a cableconnects lower ends of said plurality of uprights to prevent spreadingof said plurality of uprights.
 3. The gallows according to claim 1,wherein said cross beam is relatively long.
 4. The gallows according toclaim 1, wherein said elastic blocks comprise male caps affixed to saidplurality of uprights, an elastic block member housed within each ofsaid male caps and extending slightly from sides of each of said malecaps, and a metallic spacer contained within each said elastic blockmember.
 5. The gallows according to claim 4, including female caps onsaid cross beam corresponding in number to said male caps, and saidfemale caps including means forming an aperture for permitting a bolt tobe inserted for fixing said female cap to said male caps.
 6. The gallowsaccording to claim 5, wherein said elastic block member is composed ofrubber.
 7. The gallows according to claim 1, wherein said at least oneself-locking trunnion comprises a brake mechanism, a spring and a thrushball bearing constructed and arranged so that, when no load is suspendedon said at least one ring, spring tension causes said brake mechanism tocontact an upper portion of said at least one self-locking trunnion toprevent turning thereof, and, when a load is suspended on said at leastone ring, said thrust ball bearing compresses said spring to permitturning of said at least one self-locking trunnion.
 8. The gallowsaccording to claim 7, wherein said brake mechanism includes a brakewasher and a friction washer.
 9. The gallows according to claim 8,further including a nut and a counter nut on said at least oneself-locking trunnion to enable adjustment of tension on said spring.10. The gallows according to claim 1, including a rigid rail fixed onsaid uprights, said cross beam being mounted below said rigid rail, twocarriages displaceably mounted on said rigid rail, each of said twocarriages including a roller slidable along said cross beam to adjustflexibility of said cross beam.
 11. The gallows according to claim 10,wherein said cross beam is positioned immediately above said roller. 12.The gallows according to claim 11, wherein said roller is composed ofrubber.
 13. The gallows according to claim 10, wherein each of said twocarriages includes a block of plastic foam therein to eliminate backlashand noise.
 14. The gallows according to claim 13, wherein said block ofplastic foam is composed of polyurethane.
 15. The gallows according toclaim 10, including a cable permitting adjustment of the position ofsaid two carriages.
 16. The gallows according to claim 15, wherein saidrigid rail comprises two ends, a horizontal pulley located at one end ofsaid rigid rail, two vertical pulleys located at the other end of saidrigid rail, and a low pulley located within reach on one of saiduprights, and said cable is connected on a close circuit on saidhorizontal pulley, said two vertical pulleys and said low pulley topermit symmetrical adjustment of said two carriages.
 17. The gallowsaccording to claim 16, further including a graduated scale close to saidlow pulley.
 18. The gallows according to claim 16, wherein said rigidrail houses the entire displacement mechanism of said two carriages. 19.The gallows according to claim 1, wherein said at least one attachingmember comprises a short link composes of textile material.
 20. Thegallows according to claim 1, wherein said at least one ring comprisestwo rings.